My name is Charli Evans, I am 20 and from the Central Coast of NSW, Australia. I have been wrestling for 3 and a half years.
When did you first become a fan of professional wrestling and who were your favourite wrestlers when you became interested in the sport?
I started watching in 2005 by accident. I was just flicking through the TV and came across it. The first time I saw it, I was really scared by it cause I was around 7 at the time. But luckily my cousins are really into it and would make me watch and I was hooked.
Was there a particular moment that made you want to get involved in the business?
When I went to my first local live show, I saw a wrestler named Shazza McKenzie and in that moment I decided I wanted to do it. I'm lucky enough to call her one of my best friends now and she's helped me out so so much.
From having your first thoughts about becoming a wrestler, how long did it take you to find a school and start training and which school did you train at?
About a year and a half. My parents were not keen on it at first and I was still underage at the time. For my 17th birthday all I wanted was to start training so that's what I got. I started at Newcastle Pro Wrestlings House of Free Fighting which was about 50 minutes from my house where I was trained by Adam Hoffman and Jack Bonza. I moved to Sydney and started training with the PWA Academy where I am trained by Madison Eagles, Robbie Eagles and Mick Moretti. I now train weekly at both. When I move to England I'll be training with Fight Club Pro.
How long did it take from your first training session to making your in ring debut and what are your memories of your first ever match?
It took around 3 months until I started managing and 8 months til I debuted. My first match was against Shazza McKenzie and it was surreal. I was confident in front of a crowd which helped me out but I'm sure it was horrible.
Do you have any opponents who you feel help to bring out the best in you?
My best friend Jessica Troy is one of my favourite people to wrestle, we started at the same time and know each other almost better than we do ourselves. Big Fudge is also a favourite - I transitioned to doing Intergender and people really trusted us and I'm glad he didn't treat me any differently to a guy. Madison Eagles and Shazza McKenzie are two people that I look up to so much and I always learn so much from them.
There's been a boom in women's wrestling over the last two years. Have you noticed a change in the way yourself and your peers have been looked at by both promoters and fans in that time period?
I came in at a great time. That change was just happening and I was apart of companies that have always respected women's wrestling. We are lucky enough to have Madison Eagles who is the best female if not best wrestler in the world. The places I wrestle supports equality and intergender wrestling so I've been very lucky.
You'll soon be coming to the UK to wrestle joining a list of wrestlers from Australia and New Zealand who have done the same over the past few years. What were the main reasons for making that decision and what was the reaction of your peers when they found out?
Experience. I'm young and I have so much to learn so why not travel and learn and grow from new people. I get to wrestle new people and I'm very excited to see where it takes me.
Are there any wrestlers currently based in the UK that you'd like to face?
Soooo many. Kay Lee Ray, Dahlia, Viper, Rhia OReilly, Toni Storm, Jinny, Bea, Millie McKenzie, Travis Banks, Chris Brookes, Alex Windsor. So many people! My dream match is Nixon Newell, so hopefully that will happen one day!
Lastly, what do you hope to achieve during your time in the UK both personally and professionally?
I'm excited to see how I grow as both a wrestler and person by moving across the world and getting out of my comfort zone.
A huge thanks to Charli for allowing us to do this interview with her. We're excited to see her arriving in the UK soon! Make sure you follow Charli on Twitter and Instagram
When did you first become a fan of professional wrestling and who were your favourite wrestlers when you became interested in the sport?
I started watching in 2005 by accident. I was just flicking through the TV and came across it. The first time I saw it, I was really scared by it cause I was around 7 at the time. But luckily my cousins are really into it and would make me watch and I was hooked.
Was there a particular moment that made you want to get involved in the business?
When I went to my first local live show, I saw a wrestler named Shazza McKenzie and in that moment I decided I wanted to do it. I'm lucky enough to call her one of my best friends now and she's helped me out so so much.
From having your first thoughts about becoming a wrestler, how long did it take you to find a school and start training and which school did you train at?
About a year and a half. My parents were not keen on it at first and I was still underage at the time. For my 17th birthday all I wanted was to start training so that's what I got. I started at Newcastle Pro Wrestlings House of Free Fighting which was about 50 minutes from my house where I was trained by Adam Hoffman and Jack Bonza. I moved to Sydney and started training with the PWA Academy where I am trained by Madison Eagles, Robbie Eagles and Mick Moretti. I now train weekly at both. When I move to England I'll be training with Fight Club Pro.
How long did it take from your first training session to making your in ring debut and what are your memories of your first ever match?
It took around 3 months until I started managing and 8 months til I debuted. My first match was against Shazza McKenzie and it was surreal. I was confident in front of a crowd which helped me out but I'm sure it was horrible.
Do you have any opponents who you feel help to bring out the best in you?
My best friend Jessica Troy is one of my favourite people to wrestle, we started at the same time and know each other almost better than we do ourselves. Big Fudge is also a favourite - I transitioned to doing Intergender and people really trusted us and I'm glad he didn't treat me any differently to a guy. Madison Eagles and Shazza McKenzie are two people that I look up to so much and I always learn so much from them.
There's been a boom in women's wrestling over the last two years. Have you noticed a change in the way yourself and your peers have been looked at by both promoters and fans in that time period?
I came in at a great time. That change was just happening and I was apart of companies that have always respected women's wrestling. We are lucky enough to have Madison Eagles who is the best female if not best wrestler in the world. The places I wrestle supports equality and intergender wrestling so I've been very lucky.
You'll soon be coming to the UK to wrestle joining a list of wrestlers from Australia and New Zealand who have done the same over the past few years. What were the main reasons for making that decision and what was the reaction of your peers when they found out?
Experience. I'm young and I have so much to learn so why not travel and learn and grow from new people. I get to wrestle new people and I'm very excited to see where it takes me.
Are there any wrestlers currently based in the UK that you'd like to face?
Soooo many. Kay Lee Ray, Dahlia, Viper, Rhia OReilly, Toni Storm, Jinny, Bea, Millie McKenzie, Travis Banks, Chris Brookes, Alex Windsor. So many people! My dream match is Nixon Newell, so hopefully that will happen one day!
Lastly, what do you hope to achieve during your time in the UK both personally and professionally?
I'm excited to see how I grow as both a wrestler and person by moving across the world and getting out of my comfort zone.
A huge thanks to Charli for allowing us to do this interview with her. We're excited to see her arriving in the UK soon! Make sure you follow Charli on Twitter and Instagram